College Sports Blog

Texas A&M team breakdown in 2013 begins and ends with the Aggie offense but can the A&M defense hold up?

Offensive breakdown – The A&M offense will return Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel who has an increased emphasis on his passing game. He will again be protected by a stout offense line but he could be most giddy about the amount of weapons he’ll have to both throw to and hand the ball off to. A slew of freshman receivers could make an impact at the position but coach Kevin Sumlin and his staff showed flashes of lining Mike Evans up inside during the spring. That size matchup combined with A&M’s four-headed monster at running back could have opposing defenses staying up late at night.

Key offensive player – The A&M offense will revolve around the success Johnny Manziel can, or cannot have, in his encore campaign. Manziel will have to prove that his passing game is improved, as teams will be more prepared for his ground attack in 2013. Manziel will have no growing pains to go through in year two and as a result he could be better than ever.

Offensive breakout candidate – Brandon Williams has been waiting two years to show the college football world why he was so highly regarded as a five-star recruit out of high school. After being pushed back on Oklahoma’s depth chart he transferred and sat out a year at A&M. If the spring is any indication, Williams is ready for the big stage at A&M. He showcased his speed and play making ability that is sure to add just another element to the Aggie offense.

Defensive breakdown – Like a year ago, questions surround the Texas A&M defense. A year ago Damontre Moore’s quarterback pressure helped bail the A&M defense out at times. Without that crutch the 2013 team could rely on something else entirely. Turnovers. The defensive backfield is the most experienced and most talented in some time at A&M which could help take some of the pressure off the front seven.

Key defensive player – Deshazor Everett had two interceptions a year ago, his most memorable helped seal the biggest upset of the college football season as A&M beat No. 1 Alabama. Everett, along with fellow defensive back Tony Hurd Jr., will be looked upon this season for leadership. He helps make up a very talented A&M defensive backfield and expectations are high for Everett who could become one fo the SEC’s most feared cornerbacks.

Defensive breakout candidate – While Everett could have been named the potential breakout star, it appears defensive end Julien Obioha is ready to make the leap to becoming an elite pass rusher at A&M. Obioha played a backup role behind Damontre Moore and will now have the tough job of filling Moore’s shoes. If he can provide a consistent pass rush he will help legitimize this shaky A&M front seven.

Key stat – 7,261. That’s the number of total yards the A&M offense put together in 2012. Another crazy number is 5,116. That’s the amount of total offensive yards Johnny Manziel himself had. Good for just over 70 percent of the A&M offense. It’s truly unbelievable what Manziel and the A&M offense was able to accomplish in 2012 which will set the standard for 2013 team to try and just get close to those numbers.

Crucial game – All eyes are already upon College Station, Texas for the Sept. 14 date when the defending national champion Alabama Crimson Tide come to town. It will not only be a matchup of two likely top-10 teams but it will be the rematch of last season’s thriller in which A&M topped 29-24 in upset fashion. A&M’s Kyle Field will be rocking, College Gameday may even make it’s way back to Aggieland and the game will be featured on CBS’s 2:30 p.m. primetime spot. Talk about a big stage, but even more this game could determine who represents the SEC West in the SEC Championship game. All just three weeks into the season.

Record prediction – Texas A&M will go 11-1 in the 2013 season. The season starts off with sacrificial opponents Rice and Sam Houston State before the touted Alabama matchup. A&M will then play SMU to complete a four-game home stand to start the season. It will be the first of two such home stand’s as the Aggies will then travel to Arkansas and Ole Miss before returning home to face Auburn, Vanderbilt, UTEP and Mississippi State. The final tests of the season will then come on the road as A&M travels to Death Valley to take on LSU and then to Missouri to take on the Tigers.

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